‘You get slow…’- Gavaskar presents unprecedented argument for Rohit and Kohli's T20I comeback

The T20 World Cup schedule for this year was released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday. India will be competing in the World Cup with Pakistan for the third time in a familiar group. With Ireland, Canada, and the United States in Group A, the Asian heavyweights' group seems easy as they try to qualify for the Super 8. The Indian cricket community is deeply engaged in a major debate about the possible return of two batting legends to the Twenty20 format: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. This debate is occurring while the participating countries prepare for the World Cup, which will include 20 teams.

3 things you need to know 

• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been absent from T20I format for quite sometime 
• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were absent from T20I matches against South Africa 
• The veteran’s presence in the upcoming T20I World Cup remains uncertain 

Sunil Gavaskar made a huge statement regarding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma 

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's final match for India was in the 2022 T20 World Cup, when they were eliminated in the semi-finals. After that, Hardik Pandya unofficially took over as T20I captain. It seems probable that Hardik will captain the squad in the forthcoming T20 World Cup given Rohit Sharma's extended absence. But new talks concerning the captaincy have been triggered by Rohit's possible comeback.

The former captain of India, Sunil Gavaskar, stressed how important it is for Rohit and Kohli to return for the World Cup in the T20 format. Gavaskar gave the squad a lot more firepower by showcasing both their batting skill and their on-field genius. Speaking with Star Sports on Friday, Gavaskar discussed his thoughts on the situation during the T20 World Cup scheduling announcement. Gavaskar said: 

"Virat Kohli's form has been outstanding for the past 1.5 years. He also played brilliantly at the ODI World Cup. So, there should not be any debate over his batting prowess in limited-overs cricket. A massive aspect is that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are still excellent fielders," 

"Sometimes, you get slow when you are 35-36; your throw isn't that good anymore. So, there are discussions over where to keep you while setting the field. That's not a problem for these two because they are still terrific fielders. In addition to seniority in the dressing room, they will contribute on the field, too. We don't know if Rohit will be captain, but whatever the case, any captain will surely benefit from that," 

India's upcoming T20I assignment before the World Cup in June begins on January 11, with a three-match series against Afghanistan. The players' performances in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) are expected to have a big influence on World Cup team selection and would most likely play a vital part in determining the final roster.